Oakland hired Hue Jackson as offensive coordinator Tuesday and hoped the man who helped develop Joe Flacco in Baltimore can do the same for JaMarcus Russell.

Jackson is the second new assistant hired by the Raiders since the end of the season and joins defensive line coach Mike Waufle. Owner Al Davis has not yet committed to bringing Tom Cable back as head coach in 2010, but he has hired two assistants with ties to Cable.

Jackson and Cable worked together on the staff at Cal State Fullerton in 1990 and at California in 1996. Waufle and Cable also worked together at Cal in the 1990’s.

The Raiders have pointed out Cable’s ties with the new coaches in their news releases announcing the hires. Cable also is at this week’s Senior Bowl in Mobile, Ala., although no final decision has been made on his status.

“We continue to evaluate the staff and make changes to get better achievement,” senior executive John Herrera said. “It’s still an ongoing process.”

Jackson is expected to take over the play-calling duties from Cable, who did not have an offensive coordinator in his first full season as coach. Cable also coached the offensive line and admitted after the season he might have been overextended.

“I’m hired as the offensive coordinator, and I’ll be the primary play-caller,” Jackson told the Ravens team Web site. “That’s my role. It’s a chance to go out and assist the head coach and be the best offense we can be.”

Childress says he won’t

give Favre a deadline

Brett Favre hinted he’ll decide about next season sooner rather than later, although that’s famously been subject to change.

Even if the Minnesota Vikings must switch quarterbacks again, though, they’re willing to wait for Favre’s word.

Coach Brad Childress said Tuesday he doesn’t have a deadline for Favre’s decision and insisted the team can plan for both possibilities despite an obvious preference for early resolution.

“State of flux is generally not good. It’s usually uncomfortable, but sometimes it pushes you to create as well,” Childress said.

Childress spoke in the morning with the 40-year-old quarterback in the training room, where Favre was getting treatment on the left ankle he sprained during a hard hit in Minnesota’s loss in the NFC championship game at New Orleans.

“Pretty beat up after that game,” Childress said. “We didn’t really have any meaningful conversation about what’s next.”

Tarvaris Jackson and Sage Rosenfels were supposed to compete for the spot until Favre came after training camp in mid-August and set the scene for the storybook season for him and the Vikings that ended just short of the Super Bowl.

The Vikings won’t pick until 30th in the first round of the draft, so again it will be difficult to find viable alternatives outside the organization.

“We’ll just see what’s there, and I’m sure we’ll ably man that position one way or the other,” Childress said.

Rosenfels still is under contract, and Jackson will be a restricted free agent if there’s no new collective bargaining agreement between the league and union as expected. Assuming that happens, there won’t be a salary cap, either.

“Really, I think our numbers will be just fine if he comes back or he doesn’t come back,” Childress said. “I don’t know. It’s up to him, but it’s not a deal where I need to put a gun at his head and say, `I need to know in a week, two weeks, two months.’ ”

Also …

Baltimore hired former New England defensive coordinator Dean Pees as its new linebackers coach. … Atlanta hired Tim Lewis as the team’s secondary coach. … Minnesota cornerback Cedric Griffin will have surgery to repair an injured left knee and might not be ready for the start of next season. … The Mackey-White Traumatic Brain Injury Committee met for the first time. The committee was formed by the NFL Players Association and includes professional athletes, past and current NFL players, doctors and researchers. The group wants to open a dialogue on brain injuries in professional football. … The NFL’s medical committee is discussing giving players echocardiograms in the wake of Chicago defensive end Gaines Adams’ death this month. … San Francisco defensive tackle Justin Smith was added to the NFC Pro Bowl roster in place of injured Kevin Williams of Minnesota. … Atlanta receiver Roddy White will replace Sidney Rice on the NFC Pro Bowl roster.

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